Exodus 7:3-18

3 But I shall make hard his heart, and I shall multiply my signs and marvels in the land of Egypt, (But I shall harden his heart, and then I shall multiply my signs and miracles in the land of Egypt,)
4 and he shall not hear you; and I shall send mine hand on Egypt, and I shall lead out mine host, and my people, the sons of Israel, from the land of Egypt by most dooms; (but he shall not listen to you; and then I shall put my hand upon Egypt, and with mighty acts of judgement I shall lead out my army, yea, my people, the Israelites, from the land of Egypt;)
5 and [the] Egyptians shall know, that I am the Lord, which have held forth mine hand on Egypt, and have led out of the midst of them the sons of Israel. (and then the Egyptians shall know, that I am the Lord, when I have stretched forth my hand against Egypt, and have led the Israelites out of their midst.)
6 And so Moses did and Aaron; as the Lord commanded, so they did. (And so Moses and Aaron did as the Lord commanded; yea, so they did.)
7 Forsooth Moses was of fourscore years, and Aaron of fourscore years and three, when they spake to Pharaoh.
8 And the Lord said to Moses and to Aaron,
9 When Pharaoh shall say to you, Show ye signs to us, thou shalt say to Aaron, Take thy rod, and cast forth it before Pharaoh, and be it turned into a serpent. (When Pharaoh shall say to you, Show ye signs to us, thou shalt say to Aaron, Take thy staff, and throw it down before Pharaoh, and it shall be turned into a serpent.)
10 And so Moses and Aaron entered to Pharaoh, and did as the Lord commanded; and Aaron took the rod, and cast forth it before Pharaoh and his servants, the which rod was turned into a serpent. (And so Moses and Aaron came before Pharaoh, and did as the Lord commanded; and Aaron took his staff, and threw it down before Pharaoh and his servants, and the staff was turned into a serpent.)
11 Forsooth Pharaoh called forth wise men, and witches, and they also did by enchantments of Egypt, and by some privy things, in like manner; (And Pharaoh called forth Egypt's wise men, and witches, and they did likewise with their enchantments, and their secret words;)
12 and all casted forth their rods, which were turned into dragons; but the rod of Aaron devoured their rods. (and they all threw down their staffs, and they turned into serpents; but Aaron's staff devoured their staffs.)
13 And the heart of Pharaoh was made hard, and he heard not them, as the Lord commanded. (But Pharaoh's heart was hardened, and he would not listen to them, as the Lord had said.)
14 Forsooth the Lord said to Moses, The heart of Pharaoh is made grievous, he will not deliver the people; (And the Lord said to Moses, Pharaoh's heart is hardened, and he will not let the people go;)
15 go thou to him early; lo! he shall go out to the waters, and thou shalt stand in the coming of him on the brink of the flood; and thou shalt take in thine hand the rod, that was turned into a dragon, (and so go thou early to him; lo! he shall go out to the waters, and thou shalt meet him on the river bank; and thou shalt take in thy hand the staff, that was turned into a serpent,)
16 and thou shalt say to him, The Lord God of Hebrews sent me to thee, and said, Deliver thou my people, that it make sacrifice to me in desert; and till to this present time thou wouldest not hear. (and thou shalt say to him, The Lord God of the Hebrews sent me to thee, and said, Let my people go, so that they can worship me in the wilderness; and until this time thou hast not listened to him.)
17 Therefore the Lord saith these things, In this thou shalt know, that I am the Lord; lo! I shall smite with the rod, that is in mine hand, the water of the flood, and it shall be turned into blood (lo! I shall strike the water of this River with the staff, that is in my hand, and that water shall be turned into blood);
18 and the fishes that be in the flood shall die; and the waters shall wax rotten, and the Egyptians drinking the water of the flood shall be tormented. (and the fish that be in the River shall die; and the waters shall grow rotten, and the Egyptians shall not be able to drink any water from this River.)

Exodus 7:3-18 Meaning and Commentary

INTRODUCTION TO EXODUS 7

Moses and Aaron are ordered to go to Pharaoh, and require the dismission of the people of Israel, but they are told before hand that Pharaoh's heart would be hardened, and would refuse to let them go, until the hand of the Lord was stretched out, and great judgments were brought down upon, Egypt, and then they should come forth, Ex 7:1-5, which orders Moses and Aaron obeyed, and their age is observed, when this was done, Ex 7:6,7 and they are bid to work a miracle, when Pharaoh should demand one, by turning a rod into a serpent, which they did; but Pharaoh's magicians doing the same in appearance, his heart was hardened, Ex 7:8-14 and then they are directed to meet him at the river, and require the same as before; and if he refused, to smite the waters of the river with the rod, and turn them into blood, which they did, Ex 7:15-21, but Pharaoh's magicians doing the same by enchantments, he did not regard it, though the plague lasted seven days, Ex 7:22-25.

Copyright © 2001 by Terence P. Noble. For personal use only.